Introduction
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and severe restriction of food intake that leads to dangerously low body weight. It is one of the most medically complex mental health conditions and has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, making early recognition and comprehensive treatment essential.
Causes
Anorexia nervosa is thought to arise from a complex interaction of genetic, psychological, and sociocultural factors. A family history of eating disorders, anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder increases risk. Psychological factors such as perfectionism, low self-esteem, and difficulty tolerating negative emotions, combined with cultural pressures around thinness and appearance, contribute to the development of the disorder.
Symptoms
Symptoms include extreme restriction of food intake, intense preoccupation with food, calories, and weight, distorted perception of one's own body, refusal to maintain a healthy weight, use of laxatives or excessive exercise to control weight, withdrawal from social situations involving food, fine hair growth on the body (lanugo), fatigue, dizziness, and in females, loss of menstruation.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made by a clinician using DSM-5 criteria, which include significantly low body weight relative to age and height, intense fear of weight gain, and a disturbance in the way one's body weight or shape is experienced. A thorough medical evaluation is also necessary to assess the physical consequences of malnutrition, including bone density loss, electrolyte imbalances, and cardiac complications.
Treatment
Treatment for anorexia nervosa typically requires a multidisciplinary team including a psychiatrist, therapist, dietitian, and primary care physician. Medical stabilization may be required in severe cases. Psychotherapy approaches including family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescents and CBT for adults are central to recovery. Nutritional rehabilitation and weight restoration are essential components, and medications may be used to address co-occurring anxiety or depression.
This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.